The Vicar of Wakefield Chapters XVII-XXIV Summary and Analysis | GradeSaver Summary Chapter XVII Farmer Williams visits the family one day when the squire is there. The farmer's clear passion for Olivia seems to bother Squire Thornhill , and Olivia suggests to her father that the squire must have a reason for delaying in his proposal. The vicar and Deborah then decide to set a date by which Squire Thornhill must act, after which they will give Olivia's hand to Farmer Williams. Slyly, they let the squire know about this date. When the allotted time passes, the disappointed family prepares for Olivia's impending marriage to the farmer. One day, they are having a nice time together, during which the youngest son Bill sings a song entitled "An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog." In the song, a man is bitten by a dog he loved, which saddens his neighbors, who believe he will die of the bite. However, they are happy when the man survives and the dog dies instead. Happy, the vicar notes how grateful he is that his family has such "tranquility, health, and competence" (76).

Suddenly, Dick arrives with news that Olivia has left in a post-chaise with a gentleman who kissed her and said he loved her. Incensed, the vicar demands his pistols and prepares to set out after whomever this man is, but Deborah and Moses chide him for his excessive passion, and he calms down. After settling, he reflects on how he has lost his worldly happiness, and will have to find it in the afterlife. The next morning, the calm and confident vicar prepares to set out after Olivia, whom he will welcome back despite her sin, hoping to guide her to repentance. Chapter XVIII The vicar first suspects Squire Thornhill of the crime, but finds the man alone at home. Thornhill is shocked to learn of what has happened. The vicar then suspects Mr. Burchell , whom he remembers recently seeing in conversation with Olivia. He walks towards the races, where he sees a crowd of people. There, he believes he sees Burchell, but is not certain. After walking about seventy miles from home, the vicar falls into a fever from stress and despair. He is forced to stop at an inn, where he stays for three weeks while recovering.

Left to his thoughts, the vicar develops a shame in his pride, since it had caused him trouble. After recovering, he sets off back towards home. On his way, he comes across a company of actors, and enjoys conversing with them as they travel together. However, he is embarrassed to be in their company when they arrive in the village, so he breaks off for an ale-house. There, a man asks him about his relationship to the company, and the vicar denies any association with them. The men then discuss politics for a while, and the man (who later is revealed as the butler ) invites the vicar to dine at his home. Chapter XIX The vicar accompanies the man to a magnificent mansion, where they continue to discuss politics over dinner. The man proves to be almost radical in his opinions, boasting that liberty is his ultimate goal. The vicar agrees that liberty is important, but believes that some men are born to rule while others are born to submit. He also argues that the rich are helpful because they diminish monarchial power by trying to claim it for themselves. It is within the middle class that art, wisdom, and virtue may be found.

The vicar concludes by saying that he has known of many people who claim to be for liberty even though they are truly tyrants. The man insults the vicar over his opinions, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Arnold , the house's true master. It turns out that this man was only the butler, pretending to be the master. Mr. Arnold apologizes to the vicar, but the latter is distracted to see Miss Arabella Wilmot, the young woman who was engaged to his son George at the novel's beginning. It turns out that Mr. and Mrs. Arnold are her aunt and uncle. Seeing that his niece cares for the vicar, Mr. Arnold invites him to stay for a few days. The next morning, Miss Wilmot asks after George, and the vicar sadly explains that he has not heard from his son for over three years. They talk through the afternoon, until they encounter the company manager of the theatre troupe, who sells them tickets to the show, in which Horatio will be played by a young man who is perfect for the role even though he lacks any acting experience.

At the show that night, Miss Wilmot and the vicar are shocked to realize that this young man is in fact George Primrose. When George sees them in the audience, he bursts into tears and flees the stage. When the vicar later explains the situation to Mr. Arnold and his wife, they send a coach for him so he can join them at the Arnold home. Though seemingly very sad, Miss Wilmot also expresses some happiness at the impending reunion. Chapter XX George joins the Arnolds, his father, and former fiancée. The vicar is surprised to discover that George lives in poverty, since he was supposed to earn money for the family. Eventually, George tells the story of his adventures. He first went to London and met up with his cousin, as planned. He intended to work as an usher at the academy, but the cousin discouraged him from this plan, instead suggesting he become a writer. George liked the idea, but found little success in writing about topics that actually interested him. One day, he ran into a classmate from Oxford - Ned Thornhill, whom the vicar knows as Squire Thornhill. Pitying George, the squire hired him as a personal assistant.

Though George performed well in the position, the squire was generally more impressed by a sycophantic marine captain. Over time, George became less impressed with the squire, whom it seemed loved flattery above all else. Eventually, the squire asked George to fight a duel on his behalf, in a matter concerning a lady's honor. Though he felt terribly about it (especially since he did not know whether his opponent's accusations were sound), he performed well. When Squire Thornhill had to leave town and could not take George with him, he suggested George contact his uncle, Sir William Thornhill , to secure a post there. Carrying a recommendation letter from the squire, George bribed one of Sir William's servants to secure an interview with the man. However, Sir William discerned from his nephew's recommendation that George must have fought a duel for the squire, and dismissed him as an unsuitable man. Exhausted and discouraged, George visited a man named Mr. Cripse , who arranges for people to work in America as veritable slaves. Mr. Cripse promised to appoint George as a secretary to a Pennsylvania synod on Indian relations, and though George doubted the man, he was desperate enough to agree.

However, an old captain friend learned of George's plan, and instead convinced George to sail to Amsterdam, where he could teach English to the Dutch. George spent his last money on passage, but realized when he arrived in Amsterdam that he could not teach English without first knowing Dutch. He then traveled to Louvain (in France) to teach Greek, which he learned at Oxford, but found little demand for it. He turned then to music, but found that France had much better musicians than him. While in France, he reunited with his cousin, who set George up with a job buying pictures for rich people. Though George knew little about paintings, the cousin convinced him that it was more about conning people than actually knowing about the work. After working shortly in this field, George worked as a tutor with a young man traveling through Europe. Eventually, the student left him behind, and George was stranded again. He made his way back to England, where he earned a living by disputation (arguing). He intended to make his way back to his family, but along the way encountered the acting company. He knew one of the actors, and was hired by them to play Horatio.

Chapter XXI The butler has become a friend to the vicar since the latter convinced Mr. Arnold not to fire him. He informs the vicar that Squire Thornhill has made overtures to Miss Wilmot, and will be visiting. When the squire does arrives to pay his compliments, he is surprised to find the vicar there, and asks after Olivia. It is clear that the squire is pursuing Miss Wilmot, but she does not seem pleased by it, instead mostly devoting her attention to George. One day, the squire happily announces that he has found George an ensign's commission in a regiment traveling to the West Indies. George is pleased, but the rest of the group (especially Miss Wilmot) is sad to see him go. After George leaves, the vicar sets off for his own home. Along the way, he stops at a public-house for a drink, and converses with the affable innkeeper, who tells him how loathed the squire is by his tenants in the area. While they talk, the landlord's wife enters, complaining about a female guest who continues to stay there even though she has no money.

The vicar hears the girl pleading for pity, and realizes it is Olivia. He rushes to her, finding her in a wretched state, and forgives her. Olivia tells her story. It was indeed Squire Thornhill who abducted her. It turns out that the fashionable ladies were actually ill-bred tramps from town, who were acting as decoys to get the vicar's permission to send Olivia and Sophia to London. Mr. Burchell's letter - which was actually insulting the reputation of these ladies, and not of the Primrose girls - scared them off, which is why the fake appointment to London spots never went through. Olivia soon after married Squire Thornhill in a secret, Catholic ceremony, but was then removed to a type of brothel where other women lived. She learned soon enough that the squire had married eight other women in a similar manner. Realizing how some of the women had acclimated to their lives as prostitutes, she confronted the squire, who threatened to give her to a friend if she did not behave. She then fled the house, and begged passage on a stage-coach that brought her finally to the inn where the vicar found her.

Chapter XXII The vicar and Olivia depart for home, but he leaves her at a nearby inn so he can prepare the family for her return. However, he arrives to find his home violently aflame. The family is distraught outside, with the two youngest boys trapped in the house. The vicar burst inside and rescues them. The family is amazed by their sudden loss, but are happy to be alive and safe. Nobody has been hurt save the vicar, whose arm was scorched in the rescue. Their neighbors prove generous in the aftermath, and the family is more prepared to accept Olivia back in the face of the calamity. When Olivia arrives, Deborah initially acts coldly towards her. The vicar chides his wife, insisting that "the real hardships of life are now coming fast upon us, let us not therefore encrease them by dissension among each other" (114). Deborah agrees, and warms to her daughter. Chapter XXIII The family works to recover from their calamity. Their neighbors continue to prove helpful, especially Farmer Williams, who cares for Olivia despite her recent shame. Nevertheless, she is not interested in him, and instead stews in her grief.

The vicar tries to amuse his daughter with stories, but she only broods on her misfortune. Soon enough, her grief turns to jealousy and resentment of Sophia. The family is further upset to learn that Miss Wilmot has been engaged to Squire Thornhill. The vicar sends Moses to Miss Wilmot with a letter describing the squire's true character, but Moses finds it impossible to gain an audience with her. Therefore, he leaves it with a servant. Eventually, the family (save Olivia) manages to find some cheerfulness by reflecting upon the kindness of their neighbors. Chapter XXIV The family regularly breakfasts outside at the honeysuckle bank, even though it makes Olivia melancholy since this is the spot where she first met the squire. One day, they are alarmed to see that man approaching. When he joins them, acting as though nothing has changed, the vicar angrily calls him a "poor pitiful wretch"(120). After attempting to feign ignorance, the squire angrily concedes that he will keep Olivia as wife and allow her to keep a lover.

When the vicar more violently insults the squire in turn, the latter threatens that the vicar will soon regret such animosity, and then leaves. The Squire's threat prove to be true. The next morning, a steward arrives to demand rent that the vicar obviously cannot pay. The family begs him to apologize to and negotiate with the squire, but he refuses to "tamely sit down and flatter our infamous betrayer" (122). The next morning, two officers arrest the vicar for non-payment of rent. He instructs his family to gather their things and prepare to depart immediately. Analysis Olivia's 'abduction' in Chapter XVII is generally considered the novel's climax. Not only is the moment exciting, but it also shifts the novel's tone considerably, into what most critics call the novel's second part. In this latter half, the tone, themes, and character development all escalate into a place more akin to tragedy than to the breezy sentimental nature of the first half. It is worth recounting the events of these chapters to establish how seriously the novel changes in tone.

In this section: Olivia's reputation is ruined (no small thing for a woman of the time); the vicar is struck seriously ill by a fever, and then later terribly wounded by the fire; George's true wretchedness is revealed; George is sent on what the reader clearly understands is a disadvantageous voyage by the villainous squire; the Primrose family home burns down; and the vicar is separated from his family and thrown in jail. The calamities come quickly, one after the other. A darkness infuses a great deal of the tale. One could perhaps criticize this flurry of calamity as exploitative if it was not so wonderfully set up by the family's character flaws. The vicar's misfortune is these chapters is paralleled by a reawakening of his virtue, a recognition of his own blindness. In this way, the novel explores the tragedy that often befalls human life, while also suggesting the comfort we might find by remaining strong and honest to ourselves throughout. Thematically, Olivia's disappearance illustrates most dramatically the vicar's inability to judge those around him. Because he is so unaware of his own pride, he has been misled into terribly misunderstanding others.

He is quickly convinced that Squire Thornhill is not the villain, and instead turns his attentions towards Burchell. This attitude suggests how fully class distinctions have affected him, even as he continually claims to venerate poverty over the pretensions of the rich. Further, the vicar realizes that the truly virtuous characters are those he had begun to judge as inferior. The family's grief is somewhat assuaged by the kindness of neighbors to whom they have thus far been rather cruel towards. They used Farmer Williams as a tool to ensnare the squire, and consciously looked down upon the Flamborough girls. And yet these are the people whom truly help the family here. These elements help to explain what made the novel so popular amongst its contemporary readers. However, the second half of the novel also explores larger questions, about the nature of narrative itself, questions that help explain its continued critical relevance.

As scholar Robert Mack notes, the second half of the book "prominently includes a diversity of novelistic modes and voices, including traveler's tales, politics, discussions on philosophy and aesthetics, digressions on subjects including penal reform and the state of urban depravity, and even sermons." In other words, Goldsmith does not focus on a straightforward morality tale, but rather uses the novel form to explore a variety of digressions. As the novel proceeds, the reader is confronted by the limitations of narrative itself, the way that great work does not fit into easy categories. Despite the possibility of interpreting the novel in a straightforward manner (as is done above), it also defies categorization. Critic Richard Passon wrote that Goldsmith's works are "easy to read and enjoy, but they have been difficult to analyze, interpret, and evaluate." Dr. Primrose tries to be straightforward, but his story is inconsistent, illogical, and sometimes hypocritical. It is difficult for readers to believe this man's tale when it is such a pastiche of genres and literary forms.

While this could be read as a failure on Goldsmith's part, the confidence of the writing and the strict structure of his other work (especially his play She Stoops to Conquer ) actually suggest that he was attempting to explore a larger question, about how humans cannot be easily defined, and are in fact more often defined by their contradictions than by their simplicity. Goldsmith's interest in complication is further evident through the novel's consistent train of disguises, deceptions, and linguistic riddles. For instance, the novel's original title page suggested the work was written by Dr. Primrose himself. It was described as, "a Tale, supposed to have been written by himself". This makes little sense – why is it supposed to be written by himself? Also, it is odd that the novel is entitled The Vicar of Wakefield , when Wakefield plays little to no role in the story. The curacy that the vicar takes over is not even given a name. In fact, the novel makes a point to explore the limitations of names. An analysis of its use of names undercuts the common assumption that this is a simple sentimental novel, lacking any greater depth below its charming and gilded surface.

For instance, some of the names allude to contemporary writers, like Arnold and Burchell. Others are descriptive/symbolic, like Primrose and Pinwire. Others refer to contemporary political figures, like Thornhill and Wilkinson. Most tellingly, the names of the vicar's daughters accurately predict their behavior, particularly in Olivia's case. However, though the names suggest they are romantic heroines, Olivia's situation suggests the very opposite. She ends up a fallen women, reliant on the forgiveness of her simple neighbors. The suggestion is unsubtly that the nature of the sentimental genre is fallacious. Women cannot live in a fairyland when the world does not allow it. Goldsmith's novel can be read, then, as a satire of, and not just an example of, sentiment. The inconstancies and illogicalities of the vicar's narrative indicate that Goldsmith is doing something more than simply narrating a family's rise and fall. Mack notes the presence of bathos in the novel, "moments when an attempt at the sublime is suddenly undercut by the revelation of the questionable perceptions and judgments of a deeply flawed humanity." In other words, a discerning reader is never given a simple key as to how to feel.

In the happier first half, we are able to doubt the Primrose family because of their pride, and here, we are uncertain whether to hold them responsible for their own fall or not. Passon's article is useful in the way it attempts to find balance between these two views of the novel. On one hand, many see it as a simple pastoral, idyllic novel. On the other hand, many see the flaws in that depiction, and assume Goldsmith was crafting a satire. Passon tries to find a middle ground, suggesting that "these views are presented, in tension, in juxtaposition; one view constantly jostles and qualifies the other. Sentimentalism needs continually to be encountered and undercut by irony; satire needs continually to be softened, to be made less brittle, by romance." In other words, the problem is not that both possibilities are present; the problem is a reader's assumption that the novel must way in only one way. Passon's hypothesis is explored through the vicar himself. He acknowledges that the vicar can be pedantic, disingenuous, flamboyant, and pretentious. However, he also notes that the vicar is a virtuous man, despite his flaws.

The reader is not supposed to think him deficient of heroic qualities, but rather as a flawed, complicated human. He is both a satiric and sympathetic character. In fact, Dr. Primrose often calls attention to his own foibles. Even Squire Thornhill, in many ways a terrible villain, is somewhat complicated. The extremity of his vice is all the more insidious because he seems entirely unaware of the morality involved. Without a doubt, the squire is a sociopath, who sees in country girls beasts whom he can herd into a sexual relationship that then leave as prostitutes at his mercy. In many ways, Goldsmith makes an intense attack against the blindness of the landed gentry through the squire, who has been raised to not even understand the limits of human decency. His classist attitude is so intense that he does not even see the Primrose girls as people. However, Goldsmith's portrayal of the squire also reflects his interest in complication and contradiction. The man is not pure evil, as he might be in a purely sentimental novel. Instead, he lacks even a conception of good or evil. Thus, while the novel may be easy to read, it offers plenty of fodder for interpretation and discussion.

Like "An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog," which Bill sings, good and evil cannot be simply understood. The good dog can bite at any time, and the good man can be punished. It is in art that goodness is often rewarded - as is the case in Bill's elegy and in The Vicar of Wakefield. And yet in the best of art, the audience is still not quite sure what they are supposed to believe. That Goldsmith can provide such an entertaining story while simultaneously commenting on the limitations and assumptions of story serves as testament to his talent and imagination. The Vicar of Wakefield (1917) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The Vicar of Wakefield ( 1917 ) 1h 30min Dr. Primrose, the vicar of Wakefield, enjoys life with his wife and five children. His two daughters, Olivia and Sophia, are courted by two apparent gentlemen, Mr. Burchell and Squire ...

See full summary » Director: a list of 2856 titles created 10 months ago Title: The Vicar of Wakefield (1917) 6.1/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Edit Storyline Dr. Primrose, the vicar of Wakefield, enjoys life with his wife and five children. His two daughters, Olivia and Sophia, are courted by two apparent gentlemen, Mr. Burchell and Squire Thornhill, who is Dr. Primrose's landlord. But when Mr. Burchell is supposed to have seduced and abandoned Olivia, the Primrose family finds its fortunes dwindling in every sense. It is learned that Burchell is innocent of the seduction, and the real villain is unmasked, but not before Primrose and his family come very near disaster. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net> 25 February 1917 (USA) See more » Company Credits Did You Know? Trivia One reel of this six-reel film (reel 5) survives in the Library of Congress.

See more » Connections Cinematic Progress on Literary Adaptations 7 January 2010 | by Cineanalyst – See all my reviews "The Vicar of Wakefield", based on the once popular novel, is a rather boring melodrama about the misfortunes of the vicar and his family, most of whom, apparently, are saps to any swindler, thief, impostor or scoundrel they happen to meet. The pious family seems incapable of adjusting to, and initially unrecognizing of, the sinners surrounding them. This was the second adaptation of the novel by the Thanhouser Company, who had previously made a one-reel version of it in 1910. Thanhouser seems to have specialized in such classic literary adaptations, which may be viewed thanks to the disproportionately good number of the studio's films available on home video compared to other early producers. This 1917 photoplay includes some rather odd introductory title cards, which appear original, that describe some history of the book and its author. Comparing the 1910 and 1917 Thanhouser adaptations illustrates the rapid development in film-making that had taken place within just a few years.

Besides the change from the one-reel standard of Nickelodeons to feature-length films, there is also discernible progress in scene dissection and narrative structure. The 1910 short film used the tableau style of title cards describing subsequent action, which was photographed by a stationary cameraone title card and one shot for every scene. By 1917, there's some crosscutting and matching between different perspectives of actions. The 1917 version also features some good historical costumes, settings and overall production values. Another interesting comparison is to look at the difference the scene dissection and more intimate photography make for the performance of Frederick Warde. Warde was a Shakespearean actor from the theatre, and he starred in two early filmic Shakespeare adaptations, "Richard III" (1912) and "King Lear" (1916, and also produced by Thanhouser), which are both available on home video. Although there's much bowing and some peculiar gesturing with an upright forearm, Warde, and more so the rest of the production, are afforded to be less theatrical than such primitive photoplays as "Richard III".

Warde's performance in a later 1917 Thanhouser production "The Fires of Youth" was even better adapted to the screen. 2 of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes The Vicar of Wakefield eBook by Oliver Goldsmith - 1230000034096 | Kobo Show more Show less There are an hundred faults in this Thing, and an hundred things might be said to prove them beauties. But it is needless. A book may be amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity. The hero of this piece unites in himself the three greatest characters upon earth; he is a priest, an husbandman, and the father of a family. He is drawn as ready to teach, and ready to obey, as simple in affluence, and majestic in adversity. In this age of opulence and refinement whom can such a character please? Such as are fond of high life, will turn with disdain from the simplicity of his country fire-side.

Such as mistake ribaldry for humour, will find no wit in his harmless conversation; and such as have been taught to deride religion, will laugh at one whose chief stores of comfort are drawn from futurity. - Oliver Goldsmith Dr Primrose, his wife Deborah and their six children live an idyllic life in a country parish. The vicar is wealthy due to investing an inheritance he received from a deceased relative, and the vicar donates the £34 that his job pays annually to local orphans and war veterans. On the evening of his son George's wedding to wealthy Arabella Wilmot, the vicar loses all his money through the bankruptcy of his merchant investor who left town with his money. The wedding is called off by Arabella's father, who is known for his prudence with money. George, who was educated at Oxford and is old enough to be considered an adult, is sent away to town. The rest of the family move to a new and more humble parish on the land of Squire Thornhill, who is known to be a womanizer. On the way, they hear about the dubious reputation of their new landlord.

Also, references are made to the squire's uncle Sir William Thornhill, who is known throughout the country for his worthiness and generosity. A poor and eccentric friend, Mr. Burchell, whom they meet at an inn, rescues Sophia from drowning. She is instantly attracted to him, but her ambitious mother does not encourage her feelings. Then follows a period of happy family life, interrupted only by regular visits of the dashing Squire Thornhill and Mr. Burchell. Olivia is captivated by Thornhill's hollow charm, but he also encourages the social ambitions of Mrs. Primrose and her daughters to a ludicrous degree. Finally, Olivia is reported to have fled. First Burchell is suspected, but after a long pursuit Dr. Primrose finds his daughter, who was in reality deceived by Squire Thornhill. He planned to marry her in a mock ceremony and leave her then shortly after, as he had done with several women before. When Olivia and her father return home, they find their house in flames. Although the family has lost almost all their belongings, the evil Squire Thornhill insists on the payment of the rent. As the vicar cannot pay, he is brought to gaol.

Afterwards is a chain of dreadful occurrences. The vicar's daughter, Olivia, is reported dead, Sophia is abducted, and George too is brought to gaol in chains and covered with blood, as he had challenged Thornhill to a duel when he had heard about his wickedness. But then Mr. Burchell arrives and solves all problems. He rescues Sophia, Olivia is not dead, and it emerges that Mr. Burchell is in reality the worthy Sir William Thornhill, who travels through the country in disguise. In the end, there is a double wedding: George marries Arabella, as he originally intended, and Sir William Thornhill marries Sophia. Squire Thornhill's servant turns out to have tricked him, and thus the sham marriage of the Squire and Olivia is real. Finally, even the wealth of the vicar is restored, as the bankrupt merchant is reported to be found. Buy the eBook The Vicar of Wakefield Summary - eNotes.com The Vicar of Wakefield Summary link Link Oliver Goldsmith’s novel The Vicar of Wakefield centers on Dr. Charles Primrose, the village priest, and his wife, Deborah, who live with their six children in affluent happiness in Wakefield.

All look forward to the marriage of the Primroses’ eldest son, George, to Arabella Wilmot, daughter of a wealthy church dignitary. Dr. Primrose heatedly defends one of his favorite subjects, monogamy, with Arabella’s father, Mr. Wilmot, a man three times widowed and about to marry his fourth wife. When news arrives that Dr. Primrose has lost all his money through his broker’s embezzlement, Mr. Wilmot breaks the engagement of Arabella and George. George leaves to recoup the family fortune, and the other Primroses set out for a distant village to live more humbly. On the way, they meet Mr. Burchell, a wanderer who saves the Primroses’ young daughter Sophia from drowning. For his act, the family promises hospitality to Burchell. The Primroses rent a cottage from Squire Thornhill, a loose-living young gentleman, who takes an immediate liking to elder daughter Olivia. Recognizing the advantages of a marriage between Olivia and the squire, Deborah strives to bring it about. Squire Thornhill, however, does not propose, while Burchell pays modest court to Sophia.

Events reach a hopeful peak when two ladies, friends of Squire Thornhill, visit the Primroses. These ladies are amenable to taking Olivia and Sophia to London as companions. Squire Thornhill encourages the plan, but Burchell objects. To improve the family’s finances, Dr. Primrose and his second son, Moses, go to a fair to sell their horses, but each is duped by the sharper Ephraim Jenkinson. Meanwhile, in spite of his repeated visits, Squire Thornhill refuses to propose marriage to Olivia. Dr. Primrose suggests that she then consider a proposal from... (The entire section is 749 words.) Get Free Access Start your free trial with eNotes for complete access to this resource and thousands more. 30,000+ Study Guides Save time with thousands of teacher-approved book and topic summaries. Get Homework Help Ask real teachers questions on any subject or search 300,000+ answers. On the Go Access link Link The Vicar of Wakefield, although published in March, 1766, was actually written years earlier.

Scholarly evidence suggests that Goldsmith began writing the novel in 1760 and probably finished it in 1765. Mysterious stories surround the composition, sale, and publication of the work. One such tale concerns the venerable Samuel Johnson. According to his biographer, James Boswell, Johnson was summoned for immediate assistance by Goldsmith. It seems that Goldsmith was behind in his rent, and his landlady had him arrested. Johnson quieted the much disturbed writer, learned of an unpublished novel, and sold a one-third share to a bookseller. Goldsmith discharged the debts and eventually sold the remaining shares. The work in question is strongly believed to be The Vicar of Wakefield. Why did he write it? Speculation suggests that Goldsmith wrote the novel because he was consumed with envy by the publication, in January, 1760, of The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gent. (1759-1767) by Laurence Sterne. Though Goldsmith professed a long dislike for the novel, the celebrity status enjoyed by Sterne may have motivated the still little-known Goldsmith to match his rival’s success.

Much has been made of the autobiographical portions to be found in The Vicar of Wakefield, including its faulty plot structure, the narrative technique employed, and the sentimental reversal-of-fortune conclusion. Goldsmith uses the... (The entire section is 462 words.) Get Free Access The Vicar of Wakefield: Summary, Characters, Themes & Analysis | Study.com The Vicar of Wakefield: Summary, Characters, Themes & Analysis Watch short & fun videos Start Your Free Trial Today Instructor: Summer Stewart Summer has taught creative writing and sciences at the college level. She holds an MFA in Creative writing and a B.A.S. in English and Nutrition Add to Add to Add to Want to watch this again later? Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. Custom Courses are courses that you create from Study.com lessons. Use them just like other courses to track progress, access quizzes and exams, and share content. Teachers Organize and share selected lessons with your class. Make planning easier by creating your own custom course. Students Create a new course from any lesson page or your dashboard. From any lesson page: Click "Add to" located below the video player and follow the prompts to name your course and save your lesson.

From your dashboard: Click on the "Custom Courses" tab, then click "Create course". Next, go to any lesson page and begin adding lessons. Edit your Custom Course directly from your dashboard. Personalize: Name your Custom Course and add an optional description or learning objective. Organize: Create chapters to group lesson within your course. Remove and reorder chapters and lessons at any time. Share your Custom Course or assign lessons and chapters. Teacher Edition: Share or assign lessons and chapters by clicking the "Teacher" tab on the lesson or chapter page you want to assign. Students' quiz scores and video views will be trackable in your "Teacher" tab. Premium Edition: You can share your Custom Course by copying and pasting the course URL. Only Study.com members will be able to access the entire course. Prized as one of the greatest models of 18th century English literature, 'The Vicar of Wakefield' by Oliver Goldsmith is a complex novel of themes and characters. In this lesson, get an in-depth summary, description of characters, and thematic analysis. Background The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith is a popular 18th century English novel.

Considered an exemplary sentimental novel, The Vicar of Wakefield houses a complicated plot that follows the misfortunes of the Primrose family. In this lesson, we will cover the plot of the novel, the main characters, and the different themes. Summary Dr. Primrose, the Vicar of Wakefield, is a wealthy man who lives in a peaceful community with his family. He has two daughters, Olivia and Sophia, his four sons George, Bill, Moses, and Dick, and his wife, Deborah. His son George is engaged to Arabella Wilmot, but on the night of their wedding, Dr. Primrose loses all of his money after his broker declares bankruptcy. Arabella's father subsequently cancels the wedding. George is then sent to London, and the family is forced to move to a parish on Squire Thornhill's lands. Mr. Thornhill has a reputation of being a ladies' man who is living off of his wealthy uncle, Sir William Thornhill. At first, the family has trouble fitting into the new, less fashionable region. Shortly after moving to the area, Mr. Primrose meets Mr. Burchell and Squire Thornhill. Mr.

Burchell saves Sophia from drowning, and both show attraction to one another. The vicar discourages the romance because Mr. Burchell is a poor young man. Squire Thornhill seems courteous, charming, and friendly despite his poor reputation. Thornhill shows an interest in Olivia, which pleases Mr. Primrose. For a brief time, the family lives happily. Squire Thornhill continuously encourages the Primrose family to go after social ambitions that exceed their class status and this leads to many embarrassments. Eventually, Mr. Primrose discovers that Squire Thornhill has been deceiving the family. Olivia leaves with him instead of marrying the man her family chose for her, thus sacrificing her reputation. The vicar goes after her and falls ill during the trip. After a series of unfortunate events that ruin the family's reputation, Mr. Burchell saves the family from disgrace and reveals himself as the gracious Sir William Thornhill. Characters The Vicar/Dr. Primrose Dr. Primrose is the narrator and main character of the novel. He is presented as smart, moral, and religious. He is the vicar of a small parish; his simple trust in humanity allows him to be deceived by many others.

His dedication to his family allows him to forgive their mistakes. Deborah Deborah is Dr. Primrose's wife. She is intelligent and loving, but her desire for belonging to a higher social class interferes with her happiness. George He is Dr. Primrose's eldest son. George was educated at Oxford, yet he is very naïve about the world. He has great character and virtue but isn't a very industrious man. Olivia Olivia is the eldest daughter. She is highly focused on her appearance and social position. She runs away with Squire Thornhill and ends up ruining her reputation. Ultimately, she is remorseful over her actions after discovering Squire Thornhill's deception of her family. Sophia Sophia is modest and virtuous. While Sophia cares about her social status, she is less focused on her appearance and position than Olivia. Sophia falls in love with Mr. Burchell even though he tells her that he is poor. Mr. Burchell Mr. Burchell appears in the novel as a handsome and smart man. He falls in love with Sophia but is ill-received as a suitor by Deborah who looks down on his social status.

After the Primrose family has fallen to their lowest position, he reveals himself as the wealthy Sir William Thornhill and rescues them from demise. Squire Thornhill Squire Thornhill is the Primrose family's landlord. He is charming but deceptive. Olivia runs away with him, but it is eventually revealed that he has seduced other women in the past the same way. Thornhill plans to marry Arabella to inherit her fortune, but this falls through at the end of the novel. × The Vicar of Wakefield : definition of The Vicar of Wakefield and synonyms of The Vicar of Wakefield (English) 7 External links Publication Dr Samuel Johnson , who was one of Goldsmith's closest friends, told how The Vicar of Wakefield came to be sold for publication: [1] “ I received one morning a message from poor Goldsmith that he was in great distress, and, as it was not in his power to come to me, begging that I would come to him as soon as possible. I sent him a guinea , and promised to come to him directly.

I accordingly went as soon as I was dressed, and found that his landlady had arrested him for his rent, at which he was in a violent passion: I perceived that he had already changed my guinea, and had a bottle of Madeira and a glass before him. I put the cork into the bottle, desired he would be calm, and began to talk to him of the means by which he might be extricated. He then told me he had a novel ready for the press, which he produced to me. I looked into it and saw its merit; told the landlady I should soon return; and, having gone to a bookseller, sold it for sixty pounds. I brought Goldsmith the money, and he discharged his rent, not without rating his landlady in a high tone for having used him so ill. ” The novel was The Vicar of Wakefield, and Johnson had sold it to Francis Newbery , a nephew of John . Newbery "kept it by him for nearly two years unpublished". [1] Content William Powell Frith : Measuring Heights, 1863 (A scene from Chapter 16: Olivia Primrose and Squire Thornhill standing back to back, so that Mrs.

Primrose can determine who is taller.) Dr Primrose, his wife Deborah and their six children live an idyllic life in a country parish . The vicar is wealthy due to investing an inheritance he received from a deceased relative, and the vicar donates the £34 that his job pays annually to local orphans and war veterans. On the evening of his son George's wedding to wealthy Arabella Wilmot, the vicar loses all his money through the bankruptcy of his merchant investor who left town with his money. The wedding is called off by Arabella's father, who is known for his prudence with money. George, who was educated at Oxford and is old enough to be considered an adult, is sent away to town. The rest of the family move to a new and more humble parish on the land of Squire Thornhill, who is known to be a womanizer. On the way, they hear about the dubious reputation of their new landlord. Also, references are made to the squire's uncle Sir William Thornhill, who is known throughout the country for his worthiness and generosity. A poor and eccentric friend, Mr. Burchell, whom they meet at an inn, rescues Sophia from drowning.

She is instantly attracted to him, but her ambitious mother does not encourage her feelings. Then follows a period of happy family life, interrupted only by regular visits of the dashing Squire Thornhill and Mr. Burchell. Olivia is captivated by Thornhill's hollow charm, but he also encourages the social ambitions of Mrs. Primrose and her daughters to a ludicrous degree. Finally, Olivia is reported to have fled. First Burchell is suspected, but after a long pursuit Dr. Primrose finds his daughter, who was in reality deceived by Squire Thornhill. He planned to marry her in a mock ceremony and leave her then shortly after, as he had done with several women before. When Olivia and her father return home, they find their house in flames. Although the family has lost almost all their belongings, the evil Squire Thornhill insists on the payment of the rent. As the vicar cannot pay, he is brought to gaol. Afterwards is a chain of dreadful occurrences. The vicar's daughter, Olivia, is reported dead, Sophia is abducted, and George too is brought to gaol in chains and covered with blood, as he had challenged Thornhill to a duel when he had heard about his wickedness.

But then Mr. Burchell arrives and solves all problems. He rescues Sophia, Olivia is not dead, and it emerges that Mr. Burchell is in reality the worthy Sir William Thornhill, who travels through the country in disguise. In the end, there is a double wedding: George marries Arabella, as he originally intended, and Sir William Thornhill marries Sophia. Squire Thornhill's servant turns out to have tricked him, and thus the sham marriage of the Squire and Olivia is real. Finally, even the wealth of the vicar is restored, as the bankrupt merchant is reported to be found. Structure and narrative technique The book consists of 32 chapters which fall into three parts: chapter 1 - 3: beginning chapter 4 - 29: main part chapter 30 - 32: ending Chapter 17, when Olivia is reported to be fled, can be regarded as the climax as well as an essential turning point of the novel. From chapter 17 onwards it changes from a comical account of 18th century country life into a pathetic melodrama with didactic traits.

There are quite a few interpolations of different literary genres, such as poems, histories or sermons, which widen the restricted view of the first person narrator and serve as didactic fables. The novel can be regarded as a fictitious memoir, as it is told by the vicar himself by retrospection. Main characters Revd Dr Charles Primrose He is the vicar in the title, and the narrator of the story. He presents one of the most harmlessly simple and unsophisticated yet also ironically complex figures ever to appear in English fiction . He has a mild, forgiving temper, as seen when he forgives his daughter Olivia with open arms. He is a loving husband and a father of six healthy, blooming children. However, though he usually has a sweet, benevolent temper, he can sometimes be a bit silly, stubborn, or vain. For instance, he is obsessed with a particularly obscure, and not very important, matter of church doctrine.

One of his "favorite topics", he declares, is matrimony, and explains that he is proud of being "a strict monogamist." He tactlessly adheres to his "principles" in the face of a violent disagreement with the neighbor who was soon to become his son's father-in-law:he "...was called out by one of my relations, who, with a face of concern, advised me to give up the dispute, at least till my son's wedding was over." However, he angrily cries that he will not "relinquish the cause of truth," and hotly says, "You might as well advise me to give up my fortune as my argument." This is ironic, as he immediately finds out that his fortune is actually almost nothing. This makes Mr. Wilmot break off the intended marriage with Mr. Primrose's son George and Miss Arabella Wilmot, and thus his son's happiness is almost shattered. He is sometimes proud of what he fancies is his ability at arguing, and often misjudges his family's supposed friends and neighbors. However, despite all his faults, he is affectionate, faithful, loving, patient, and essentially good-natured.

Deborah Primrose Dr Charles Primrose's wife. She is faithful, if still rather independent-minded. She has some vanity of her own, however: she has a "passion" for clothes, and is seen making a "wash" (a sort of lotion ) for her girls. She is also eager to see her daughters splendidly married, and this ambition sometimes blinds her. Dr Charles Primrose refers to her wife as "a good-natured notable woman; and as for breeding, there were few country ladies who could shew (show) more. She could read any English book without much spelling, but for pickling , preserving , and cookery , none could excel her." She is even prouder of her children than her husband, especially her beautiful girls. Olivia and Sophia Primrose Their father originally wished to name each after their aunt Grissel, but other considerations prevented him. They are affectionate, generally dutiful daughters. Of his daughters, the vicar claims, "Olivia...had that luxuriancy of beauty with which painters generally draw Hebe ; open, sprightly, and commanding.

Sophia's features were not so striking at first; but often did more certain execution; for they were soft, modest, and alluring. The one vanquished by a single blow, the other by efforts successfully repeated...Olivia wished for many lovers, Sophia to secure one. Olivia was often affected from too great a desire to please. Sophia even represt (repressed) excellence from her fears to offend. They both alike reflect their father's nature of being good-hearted, though prone to occasional fault; Olivia runs away with Mr. Thornhill in a rush of impetuous passion, and even the more sensible Sophia joins in with making "a wash" for herself and dressing up in fancy clothes. Reception In literary history books the Vicar of Wakefield is often described as a sentimental novel , which displays the belief in the innate goodness of human beings. But it can also be read as a satire on the sentimental novel and its values, as the vicar's values are apparently not compatible with the real "sinful" world. It is only with Sir William Thornhill's help that he can get out of his calamities. Moreover, an analogy can be drawn between Mr. Primrose's suffering and the Book of Job .

This is particularly relevant to the question of why evil exists . Notes ^ a b Irving, Washington , Oliver Goldsmith: a Biography, Chapter XV External links The Vicar of Wakefield (1917) - Plot Summary - IMDb The Vicar of Wakefield (1917) Plot Summary Showing one plot summary Dr. Primrose, the vicar of Wakefield, enjoys life with his wife and five children. His two daughters, Olivia and Sophia, are courted by two apparent gentlemen, Mr. Burchell and Squire Thornhill, who is Dr. Primrose's landlord. But when Mr. Burchell is supposed to have seduced and abandoned Olivia, the Primrose family finds its fortunes dwindling in every sense. It is learned that Burchell is innocent of the seduction, and the real villain is unmasked, but not before Primrose and his family come very near disaster.

Question: Which book includes the characters Dr Primrose, Squire Thornhill and Mr Burchell?
Answer: The Vicar of Wakefield